1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to means enabling controlled arming or activation of devices capable of instantaneous release of substantial energy; and in particular, this invention relates to such means as applied to nuclear devices whether used as munitions, in power generating equipment, or in any other type of equipment.
2. Prior Art Statement
Most munitions which are capable of producing substantial devastation are usually provided with some type of actuation or arming mechanism and as the magnitude of the devastation which may be produced by each of such munitions increases the need to provide fail-safe operation of the arming mechanism also increases. It is known in the art to provide a fail-safe device for the arming mechanism of a munition and each of such known devices has an output member which is directly coupled to a drive system which is employed to provide an arming function. In one type of known device coded signals are used to remove barriers or locks on such output member. In another type of known device signals from stored electronic decoding logic are used to remove such barriers or locks from such output member. Accordingly, an inherent deficiency of known prior art arming devices is that such devices have an output member which is used to provide the arming function which is directly coupled to a drive system therefor.